Compact x-ray source and panel

Abstract

A compact, self-contained x-ray source, and a compact x-ray source panel having a plurality of such x-ray sources arranged in a preferably broad-area pixelized array. Each x-ray source includes an electron source for producing an electron beam, an x-ray conversion target, and a multilayer insulator separating the electron source and the x-ray conversion target from each other. The multi-layer insulator preferably has a cylindrical configuration with a plurality of alternating insulator and conductor layers surrounding an acceleration channel leading from the electron source to the x-ray conversion target. A power source is connected to each x-ray source of the array to produce an accelerating gradient between the electron source and x-ray conversion target in any one or more of the x-ray sources independent of other x-ray sources in the array, so as to accelerate an electron beam towards the x-ray conversion target. The multilayer insulator enables relatively short separation distances between the electron source and the x-ray conversion target so that a thin panel is possible for compactness. This is due to the ability of the plurality of alternating insulator and conductor layers of the multilayer insulators to resist surface flashover when sufficiently high acceleration energies necessary for x-ray generation are supplied by the power source to the x-ray sources.

1. A compact x-ray source panel comprising:
 an array of x-ray sources, each x-ray source comprising: an electron source; an x-ray conversion target for generating x-rays when incidenced by electrons; and a multilayer insulator having a plurality of alternating insulator and conductor layers separating the electron source from the x-ray conversion target; and 
 a power source operably connected to each x-ray source of the array to produce an accelerating gradient between the electron source and the x-ray conversion target in any one or more of the x-ray sources, for accelerating electrons to toward a corresponding x-ray conversion target. 
 
     
     
       2. The compact x-ray source panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the x-ray sources are each controllable independent of other x-ray sources. 
 
     
     
       3. The compact x-ray source panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the multilayer insulator has a cylindrical shape with ring-shaped insulator and conductor layers and an acceleration channel leading from the electron source to the x-ray conversion target. 
 
     
     
       4. The compact x-ray source panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the insulator layers and conductor layers are each less than 1 mm thick. 
 
     
     
       5. The compact x-ray source panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the electron source is chosen from the group consisting of: hot filament, field emitter, diamond emitter, hybrid diamond, and nanofilament emitter. 
 
     
     
       6. The compact x-ray source panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein each x-ray source further comprises at least one intermediate electrode positioned between the electron source and the x-ray conversion target for controlling an electron beam from the electron source. 
 
     
     
       7. The compact x-ray source panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the array is a broad-area array of x-ray sources. 
 
     
     
       8. The compact x-ray source panel of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the broad-area array has a planar configuration. 
 
     
     
       9. The compact x-ray source panel of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the broad-area array has a curviplanar configuration. 
 
     
     
       10. The compact x-ray source panel of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the broad-area array has a hemispherical configuration. 
 
     
     
       11. The compact x-ray source panel of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the broad-area array has a trough-shaped configuration. 
 
     
     
       12. The compact x-ray source panel of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the broad-area array is pixelized to comprise a plurality of closely-spaced x-ray source pixels. 
 
     
     
       13. A compact x-ray source comprising:
 an electron source; 
 an x-ray conversion target; 
 a multilayer insulator comprising a plurality of alternating insulator and conductor layers which separate the electron source from the x-ray conversion target; and 
 a power source operably connected to the electron source and the x-ray conversion target to produce an accelerating gradient therebetween, for accelerating electrons toward the x-ray conversion target. 
 
     
     
       14. The compact x-ray source of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the multilayer insulator has a cylindrical shape with ring-shaped insulator and conductor layers and an acceleration channel leading from the electron source to the x-ray conversion target. 
 
     
     
       15. The compact x-ray source of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the insulator layers and conductor layers are each less than 1 mm thick. 
 
     
     
       16. The compact x-ray source of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the electron source is chosen from the group consisting of: hot filament, field emitter, diamond emitter, hybrid diamond, and nanofilament emitter. 
 
     
     
       17. The compact x-ray source of  claim 13 ,
 further comprising at least one intermediate electrode positioned between the electron source and the x-ray conversion target for controlling an electron beam from the electron source. 
 
     
     
       18. A compact x-ray source panel comprising:
 a broad-area array of independently controllable x-ray source pixels, each x-ray source pixel comprising: an electron source for producing electrons; an x-ray conversion target for generating x-rays when incidenced by electrons; and a cylindrical multilayer insulator having a plurality of alternating insulator and conductor ring-shaped layers separating the electron source from the x-ray conversion target, and an acceleration channel communicating therebeween; and 
 a power source operably connected to each x-ray source pixel of the broad-area array to produce an accelerating gradient in the acceleration channel of any one or more of the x-ray source pixels, for accelerating electrons through the acceleration channel towards a corresponding x-ray conversion target, 
 wherein the plurality of alternating insulator and conductive layers of the multilayer insulators enable a high resistance to surface flashover in the energy range necessary to produce a sufficiently high accelerating gradient for generating x-rays and with the electron source and x-ray conversion target in close proximity to each other. 
 
     
     
       19. An x-ray imaging system comprising:
 a compact x-ray source panel comprising an array of x-ray sources, each x-ray source comprising: an electron source; an x-ray conversion target for generating x-rays when incidenced by electrons; and an insulator separating the electron source from the x-ray conversion target; 
 a power source operably connected to each x-ray source of the array to produce an accelerating gradient between the electron source and the x-ray conversion target in any one or more of the x-ray sources, for accelerating electrons toward a corresponding x-ray conversion target; 
 a detector capable of detecting x-rays generated by said compact x-ray source panel; and 
 a controller operably connected to receive signals from the detector and control the compact x-ray source panel based upon said signals, 
 wherein the insulator is a multilayer insulator having a plurality of alternating insulator and conductor layers separating the electron source from the x-ray conversion target.